The HIghlights, Lowlights and Recovery Time

It's been a few days since my last post as It's been a very full on time transferring from Ronald Macdonald House and PMH to our Perth Home.

 

Joanie Belle ended up staying six nights in Ward 6a after the one night in the ICU. Shaun was the one who got us that last night , they wanted us out on Tuesday not Wednesday however we wanted a bit more review time at the hospital for Joanie on the revised pain killers. We let all staff know we didn't want to get rushed after our last experience in May when Joanie had to be re-admitted for the infection on her suture wound, they understood and didn't rush us.

 

In reflection of our time at PMH and staying at the Ronald Macdonald House I have thought of a list of Positives/ Highlights and Challenging times/ Low Lights ;

 

Challenging Times/ Low Lights

 

• Waiting for Joanie to go into theatre , not being able to give her milk when she was desperately hungry and then the horrible wait of her coming out of theatre

 

• Seeing Joanie's face and eyes swell up drastically fast and seeing Joanie in pain and discomfort

 

• Having Joanie power spew on me , feeling helpless when we were advised it was from bad headaches from her surgery

 

• Having inconsiderate neighbours (a metre away, behind a curtain in the same room) who spoke to their children in a horrible tone , listened to tv really loud and then fell asleep without turning it off not to mention the late night facetime conversations on speaker phone

 

Positives/ HIghlights

 

• Being on the top of the list on theatre day so Joanie could  be priority and get out of theatre at a civil time

 

• Beautifully caring nurses in the team at the ICU , nothing was  a silly question and they were also very kind to me , ensuring I was comfortable when staying in the limited space next to Jb bed on that first night.

 

• After the first inconsiderate neighbour having a following two LOVELY neighbours who had similar aged patients and were very considerate private people and  made sharing a room not as awkward

 

• Incredible efficient, knowledgeable , hard working nurses who looked after Joanie in 6a

 

• Staying at the Ronald Macdonald House that was not only brilliantly located, had great facilities and wonderful people looking after us and other regional families who were going through challenging times. This stay  also  put things into perspective for us as many of the children staying at RMH had terminal illnesses yet kept very positive. Further on from this positive was the meeting of mining group FMG who totally gobsmacked Shaun and I with their generousity of their staff who gave up their time, money and expertise in the kitchen , cooking us gastronomic feasts nightly. Shaun and I looked at this mining group in a new light.

 

• The overwhelming, embarrassing yet touching generosity of friends and family ( you know who you are!!!)

Joanie is recovering well, each day loosing more and more swelling and opening her beautiful blue eyes more and more.  Joanie's bubbly personality is also returning, however, she's very, very, clingy at the moment and refusing to sit on anyone else's lap but mine. Hopefully this phase passes or I won't be able to do anything for myself! I will give her one more week of this ! haha

 

 

 





Jb not long after she first breast fed





 

 

Our poor ,swollen angel , not letting me out of her sight